There’s an amazing collection of advertising from the 50’s to the 70’s that tout a variety of man-made products meant to make our lives better. In every case, however, these products have caused greater damage than if they’d never existed.
Take the particularly horrifying example of thalidomide, presented here in its brand name Distaval. Originally developed as a sedative, the drug would go on to cause over 10,000 birth defects in newborns wherever it was taken by expectant mothers. While it has since gone on to be used effectively to treat certain complications of leprosy, its use remains controversial.
Go down the list in that collection and read about all the ways mankind’s faith in science has hurt us, and it’s clear that there is a strong need for caution when embracing something new.
A healthy dose of doubt is something we ought to encourage in our children. There should never be a case when questions are unwelcome, as difficult as that may be at times. Obviously, we’d love to be able to say that mommy and daddy are infallible and have the answers to everything, but it will quickly become apparent that this is not the case. There’s something to be said for exploring the answers together, though, and this will encourage a similar spirit of curiosity in young minds, an attribute that will serve them well for the rest of their lives. Learn to love the sound of “Why?” and you’ll be rewarded with a child who won’t easily be taken advantage of.
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